Scream Club - Nibble Please, Don't Bite

Coming out (so to speak) of Olympia, Washington, Scream Club are a feisty DJ / MC duo whose sexy, orgasmic blend of hip-hop beats and lyrics and punk aesthetics are setting light to the scene they themselves call 'Homo-Hop'. In the traditionally male-dominated, misogynistic world of US hip-hop, Scream Club offer a much-needed breath of fresh air; their sound reassuringly free of bling cliches and aggressive posturing. Rapper Cindy and producer Sarah started Scream Club in 2003, when Cindy applied for a job at the appropriately named Desire Video, of which Sarah was the manager. The romantic chemistry was instant, and although the pair have since parted ways, their musical alliance has gone from strength to strength. Not seeking mainstream approval for their music, Scream Club have nonetheless managed to produce an appealing and challenging debut album, the fabulously-titled 'Don't Bite Your Sister', out now on Tiny Sensational.

"If you are a guy, it means don't be a sexist jerk, if you are a lady it means it's time to end femme competition in negative ways," states Sarah. "We are already oppressed, we don't need to work against each other. It means be original, as opposed to biting someone's style." The album, and most importantly Cindy's lyrics, refuse to pigeonhole Scream Club as a quote-unquote lesbian band. The lyrics, replete with sexual references, are universally applicable on the subject of desire. "We didn't set out to write a raunchy album," says Cindy, "I guess that's what inspired us at the time. The next album 'Life of a Heartbreaker' is a little bit darker. There is still lots of raunch to go around though, including a special guest appearance by our favourite kinky electro temptress, Peaches." It is worth noting that on 'Don't Bite...' Cindy claims she will make "... even Peaches look like a schoolgirl." The mind boggles at what such a clash of raging libidos might produce.

Not content to rest on their laurels despite garnering praise from the likes of Yoko Ono, Scream Club have moved straight from 'Don't Bite...' onto the next project. This strong work ethic means the band are not in this game to pull poses and assume positions - they are here to make music. "HomoHop has a better chance now of being accepted because now you have those TV shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," says Cindy. "Mainstream acceptance is not really a goal that we work towards. I think acceptance by the mainstream of all gay things is important, because it's important for people to be respected and safe. Once more [straight] people are comfortable with gay people, there will be equal rights and less hate crimes."

The mission to educate homophobic hip-hop fans is secondary to the fantastic music that they make. Scream Club are not looking to change the world, just to represent their own sound and diverse set of influences. "We play such a wide variety of shows from basement shows, to college shows, to dance clubs, to really big venues - plus we play with anything from punk bands to folk singers to performance artists, to DJs and heterosexual rappers, so the atmosphere is always different," says Sarah. "The vibe we try to project is one that is fun, accepting, entertaining, and most importantly inspiring."

Moving to Olympia, (the "Capital of Independent Music," according to the women) was an eye opener for Cindy. While growing up, she says: "I didnt relate to the gay people that I saw. It took me a long time before I found gay people I related to: radical queers. I was 18 before I came out, even to myself. Unfortunately all the gay people I was exposed to early on were into really bad music and fashion. That's originally how I feel in love with Olympia; I was like: 'Ahhhh this is heaven, so many queers, actually doing cool stuff, in bands, progressive.' There were so many radical queer femmes. I was so happy not to have to date straight girls anymore."

The breathy tones of songs like And You Belong (featuring Amy Fantastic) or the menace-laden atmospherics of Dead Wrong (featuring trans male rapper Katastrophe) should ensure a growing legion of fans both scene and non-scene, straight and queer. Tuck into Scream Club now - but remember to nibble, not bite.